Overspeed governor



Jan. 15,1952 w. K. BODGER 2,582,674

OVERSPEED GOVERNOR Filed May 18, 1946 52 GD/ GD 5| &

FIG-2.

INVENTOR v WALTER KENNETH BODGER WWW ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 15, 1952 2,582,674 I 'ovEnsPEED GovEaNo-a Walter Kenneth Bodger, Glastonburyyconn assignor to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Conn., 'a corporation of Delaware Appllcation May'18; 1946, Serial No. 670,727

" 8 Claims. (01. 264-1 This invention relates to a governor adapted for accurately limiting the maximum speed of a device such as a turbine.

In overspeed governors for high speed devices the governor must be sensitive enough to function within the allowable overspeed range since many devicees operate at speeds close to the maximum permissible limit. The conventional governor consisting of a sliding plug, the movement of which is resisted by a helical spring, has the disadvantage that the spring as well as the weight is affected by'centrifugal force and its operation is not accurate enough for many installations. This type of governor is also diflicult to design with the required accuracy because of the factors involved. A feature of this invention is a governor in which the action of the spring is substantially independent of the action of cen- I trifugal force.

In many installations it is desirable to mount the governor between the ends of a shaft and externally of the shaft. A feature of the invention is a governor which can be mounted in this way and will still retain the desired sensitivity. Another feature is a governor which can be mounted in such .a. way as to leave the center of the shaft free fromobstruction.

For. greatest sensitivity the centrifugal force acting on theweight should increase with much greater rapidity than the spring force so that the governor will operate quickly at the required speed. A feature of the invention is a governor. so arranged that the cantilever spring normally supports the weight so that if the governor weight is free its center of gravity is spaced from the axis of the shaft. A stop is then placed in position to hold the weight with its center of gravity on the opposite'side of the axis of the shaft and with the cantilever spring holding the weight against the stop. j

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims, and from the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the overspeed device. I

Fig. 2 is a sectional mounted on a shaft.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of the spring of Fig. 2.

As shown in Figs. 1-3 the overspeed governor consists of a sleeve 32 which has substantially diview of the device of Fig. l

ametrically spaced projecting lugs 34 to which end and are positioned. so-that the plane of the spring. passes substantially through the axisof the shaft. .The free ends of the springs engage inwardly projecting lugs 40 on the ring 42 that This ring. may

action of the springs 36. The ring may also have an outwardly projecting lug 4,6 the functionof which is to engageand-actuat the mechanism;

which is made responsive to the action of the governor. The mechanism may include a wire forming a part of an electrical circuit with the wire in a position to. be engaged and cut .by. the lug. 46 Whenit moves into the dot-dash position shown as a'result' of-overspeeding of the shaft on which the governor is designed to be mounted.

a The ring may be guided by flanges-48 and the spacing of which is slightly greater'than the thickness of the ring.v As shown, flange 48 is integral with the sleeve 32 and flange 50 is carried by a sleeve 5| which may be held on the end of the sleeve 32 as by one or more rivets 52.

Instead of clamping the spring 38..directly to the lug 34 it may be spaced from the surface of the lug by a shim 54 .(Fig. 3) of laminar construction so thatthe action of the spring on the ring may 'bechanged by the removal of one or more ofthe laminations of theJshim. .In this way the.

effective speed of the governor may be varied.

:The construction is such that the springs 36 are under a predetermined load when the 'ring isin theafull line position of Fig. 1 and resist movement of the ring into the dot-dash line position shown. The center of mass of the ring.

fore it is mounted on the device the speed ofv which it is intended to govern. As best shown in Fig. 2 the governor may be mounted on a hollowrotaryshaft having. splines 62 engaged by cooperating splines 64 on a sleeve 66. 32 may have an inwardly projecting flange 68 the innermostsurface 10 of which is concentric to the sleeve-and. is piloted on the outer surface of the shaft which, in this case, is the surface of the splines 52. The flange 68 is clamped between the sleeve 66 and another clamping sleeve 12 which may also have splines 74 engaging with the splines 62 on the shaft.

The sleeve In the arrangement described the springs are so arranged that bending is only slightly affected by the centrifugal force acting on the springs. The springs bend at right angles to the axial plane passing through the springs and the centrifugal force acting on each spring has substantially no effect on the action of the spring in holding the rni'g in position.

In the con'structiori described tl'i operation-oi the governor is extremely rapid and can there- Ifore function as an exact limitation on the maximum permissible speed for the shaft.-

4 a pair of cantilever springs mounted substantially on diametrically opposite sides of the sleeve, a ring larger in diameter than the sleeve and guided by said sleeve, said ring being free to move in a radial direction, said springs engaging said ring and holding it radially with a part Of said ring I in engagement with the sleeve and with the cen- It is to be understood that the invention limited to the specific embodiments' her trated and described, but may ed Ways without departure from th fined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An overspeed governor having a rotating element including a ring surrounding a part of said element, spaced. cantilever springs support ihgsaid ringfor movementz'substantial-ly in-a 'ra' dial direction; said springsbeing' mounted on said element and. having their tree 'en'ds conne'cted td the':ring ,-'..said'springs extending substantially in an axialdirection between the element and the ring and 'normally supporting.thesringnvith' its center: of gravity spaced. from oneside of the axis of-rotation of the eleinent, and a stopen= gagingit the ring and supporting .itagainst the action ofthe 'Springs'lina position with its center ofv gravity on -theroppositeside:ofthe axis of .ro- V tation' of the: element 2.. An overspeed governor havinga rotating element including :a ring surrounding-a part. of-

"spirit" as-d termf mas's otthe ringieccentrie-to the axis of the-sleeve 6. An overspeed governor assembly for mountf on a rotary shaft, said governor including a sleeve a -pair of cantilever springs mounted subon diametrically opposite sides of the sleeve, aringilarger in diameter than the sleeve g -dd lo'y said 'leeve for free movement in a radial 'directiom springs engaging said ring andholding-it-against radial movement with a part 'of 'sa'id'ringi'n engagement with the sleeve and with'the center of mass of the ring eccentric said'element, spaced cantilever springs'support-:

7 position: withiits 'center'of gravity: on the opposite:

side 'of the axis' of'rotation of'the element, said springs -being1 spaced 'substantiallyi 180" degrees apart;- I

element including-a ring;surrounding.:a: part 'of: said ele1nent,-:--spaced?cantilever.springs.:support-- ing 'said'lringzfor" movement substantially: in" a radial direction; said-: sprin'gs normally. support ing the ring with its center of gravityzspaced from' and on one -sidc of the axis-r'ofszrotation ofsthe element and'a stopengaging lthe' ring and supporting it :against the actiorr =of: theispringsdrr a: po'sitiomwith:its centier of gravity: On th'e oppo' site 'sidept': the axi'si of rotation of -thefielement; saidsprings being spaced substantially 180degrees apartpand'saidstop for-"ther ring located sub stantially? midway-between the-twoy=springsz 5;".An; overspeed governor includingsa -sleeve, 70v

V V 55 s4: An overspeed-governorcomprising arotatirig:

to the axis of the sleeve, said sleeve having an inwardlywprojectingilange adapted to be clamped against a shoulder-on the shaft.

7. An overspeed governor assembly for mountingon' arotary shaf t; said'govern'or including a sleevey-afi pair 1 of cantilever springs mounted sub stantially ondiametrically:opposite-sidesof the sleeveyaring larger in :diameter than-"the sleeve and -guided "by"- said: sleeve for free movement in a radialdirection, said springs 'engagingsaid ring and holding it against radial. movement: with a part of said ring-inengagement with the sleeveand with-thecenter ofmass 'of'the ring; eccentric inwardly-projecting flange adapted tobe clamped" against a shoulder-on the shaft; the inner periph-n ery"surface-'ofthe flarigfe being ;concentric to thesle'eveto pilot it on the shaft;

8.-An overspeedgovernor: including a sleeve,

a pair of cantilever springs mounted substantially ondiametrically; opposite sides of. the sleeve and substantially in axial planes: so that the springs deflect substantially at right angles to the axial plane itm i-nimize centrifugal action on the spring; a-ring. larger diameter-- thanthe sleeve and guided 'by'said-sleeve'for movement in-a radial direction; said springs engagingssaidring. and? holding it against radial movementawith a part:

of :said' ring 'in enga'gement with the sleeve and witheithe' center'ofuniass ofthe ring.eccentric tothe axis of:-the-sleeve. V

WALTER'KENNETH BODGER:

REFERENCES CITED- 'The 'followifig references 'are-o f 'rec'ord in the file of thi's' pateritz UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name: Date ;39l,l.l4 Brush Oct; 16, 1888* 859,338 Samuelson July'9, 1907; 859.387. ungg renag July 9,1907

1376,47 2 Wilkinson Oct. 21, 1913':

2999,583 Vincent Nov. 16, 1937-- 2,254,520 Garrott Sept; 2, 1941 2290,588 Grondahl July 21, 1942 2,388,282 Y Otto Nov. 6, -l945-- FDREIGNTATENT'S Number Country. Date 184,824 Germany May 21,1907- 

